Elevator-loader



S. OLSON.

ELEVATOR LOADER. APPLICATIONVHLED MR. 6. 1919.

Patented Feb. 1,1921.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL OLSON, OE'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOB-LOADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed. March 6, 1919. Serial No. 2280,8535.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL OLsoN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county ofCook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Elevator-Loaders, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof.

a The purpose of this invention is to provide means for controlling andregulating the movement of packages, cars, containers, or the like overa track or runway for feeding them onto a certain portion thereof atregular or predetermined times, as for example, in loading them one at atime onto the trays or platforms of a continuously traveling elevator.trated as associated with such an elevator and itself consists of thevarious features and elements hereinafter described and shown in thedrawings, as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a package or container in itsinitial position in relation to the devices of this invention, beingarrested by the first of a series of stop devices.

' Fig. 2 illustrates the package or container passing the first stop andapproaching the second. I i

Fig. 3 shows the. package between the first and second stops.

Fig. 4 shows the next position of the package passing the second stop.

Fig. 5 illustrates the package or container after passing the third stopand arriving at a loading or transfer station. This view is also in thenature of a side elevation showing various features of construction ofthe track or runway with its associated stop devices and also of theelevator.

Fig. 6 is a plan. view of the runway and a horizontal sectional view ofthe elevator shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken as indicated at line, 7--7, on Fig. 5.

- Fig. 8 is a detail section taken as indicated at line, '8-8, on Fig.5.

Fig. 9 is a detail section of a modified construction takensubstantially at the same plane as Fig. 8, and showing parts to besubstituted for those illustrated in the latter view.

Fig. 10 is an additional diagram similar The invention is illusr toFigs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, illustrating a package or container passing overone of the stops durlng the upward movement of the latter.

This invention presupposes that the packages, cars, containers, or thelike, which are to be handled over the track or runway. are of uniformlength, and for purposes of illustration such load units or packages areshown as rectangular trays of the familiar type commonly employed inrestaurants,

and especially in cafeterias, and which are formed with upwardly-flaringmarginal flanges, usually surmounted with an exterior bead. Thisconstruction insures that when two or more trays are placed end-toend incontact with each other, the contact will occur only at the bead, and aspace will be provided by virtue of the flare of the flanges, so that astop member can be interposed between two adjacent trays, even whentheir beads are in actual contact. For the purpose of illustration thetrays are shown without any load, but it may be understood thatordinarily they willor may carry loads of food or dishes, if used inrestaurant service, or they can be equally well employed to carryordinary packages on a store service conveyer or. in factory work, theuniform dimensions of the trays permitting the automatic action of thestop devices which are involved in this invention, even though the goodsactually handled may be of various sizes ,and dimensions. I

In the diagrammatic views, Figs. 1, 2, 3

and 4, the track surface or runway is illustrated at X, and may beunderstood as either a traveling belt ora series of transverse rollersor any other suitable support upgn which the trays or packages cantravel. sociated with such track or runway, X, there are shown threestops, 1, 2 and 3. A tray or container, A, is seen in Fig. 1 at initialposition engaging the stop, 1, which projects above the track surface,X, as does also the stop, 3, while at this time the sto 2, is loweredbelow said track surface. y any suitable means, the relation of thesestops is periodically reversed,--that is, the stops, 1 and 3, aresimultaneously lowered while the stop, 2, is raised to project above thetrack, and when this occurs, the track, X, being either slightlyinclined, or being a cosstantly moving belt which frictionally engagesthe tray, A, the latter will move for- .sist of a pair of ward over thestop, 1, which has been withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 2, and intoengagement with the stop, 2, substantially to the position shown in Fig.3. Now if the tray, A, is immediately followed by second tray, B, whosemarginal bead is in contact with that of the tray, A, the space formedat 4 (see Fig. 3), will permit the sto 1, to be raised just ahead of thetray, upon the nextalternation of the stop position, and it will be thusraised far enough to prevent forward travel of the tray, B, before thestop, 2, is fully withdrawn from the tray, A, so that when said stop, 2,has been finally withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 4, the tray, A, will moveforward to the stop, 3, but the tray, B, will be detained at stop, 1,during this interval. It will be evident that upon the next alternationof the stops, the tray, A, will be allowed to proceed past the stop, 3,and finally onto the loading or transfer section, 5, of the runway asillustrated in Fig. '5, while the tray, B, will advance to the stop, 2,with the trays, C and D, which follow it, positioned as shown in Fig. 5,and for the time being held back of the stop, 1, merely by the length ofthe tray, B, which is substantially equal to the distance between stops,1 and 2.

In the illustrated structure shown, the track or runway consists of apair of conveyer belts, 6, 6, traveling over supporting rollers, 7,which are journaled in longitudinal frame members, 8. The elevator is ofa familiar type in which the platforms conarms, 9, connected to verticaltraveling chains, 10, and provided at their rear ends with guiderollers, 11, which run in guide channels, 12, for maintaining thehorizontal position of the arms, 9, in their upward travel. The loadingstation or transfer section, 5, of the runway consists' of three sets frollers, 13, carried in suitable frames, 14, and the arms, 9, arepositioned to pass between these sets of rollers for picking up the trayfrom them.-

he arms, 9, are connected to their chains, 10, by a cross-rod, 15. and aroller, 16, on said rod, serves to actuate a lever arm, 17, on a rockshaft, 18, whose rocker arms, 19, are connected by links, 20, withrocker arms, 21, of a second rock shaft, 22, carried at the front of theelevator structure and just below the runway. The stops, 1, 2 and 3,are,

formed as shown in Fig. 8, each comprising a piece of rod with aright-angle bend. from which one portion extends upwardly between thetwo belts, 6, of the runway, while the other portion extends laterallyin a fitting, 23, carried on one of 24, which are journaled parallel toeach other under the two side rails, 8, respectively. of the runwayframe. As shown in Fig. 7, the two shafts, .24, are operativelyconnected by a link, 25, engaging their the rock shafts, 7

rocker arms. 26, at its opposite ends, and one of the shafts. 24,carries an additional arm, 27, connected to a rocker arm, 28, on shaft.22. by a link, 29, so that each movement of the lever, 17. istransmitted through links, 20, and 29. to cause limited rotation of thetwo rock shafts, 24, thus alternately raising and depressing the stops,1 and 3, and the stop, 2, said stops, 1 and 3, being both mounted on thesame rock shaft, 24, and the stop, 2. being carried by the other shaft,24.

Shortly after the arms, 9, of an elevator platform have picked up a trayfrom the rollers, 13, of the loading station, and have traveled farenough above said station to make room for another tray thereon, theroller. 16, of the cross rod, 15, comes in contact with the lever. 17,extending slant-wise across its path, and forces the lever to theposition shown in Fig. 5; here it remains while the roller. 16.traverses the straight end portion of the lever, 17, and in thisinterval. a tray released by the stop, 1, will move onto the loadingstation in plenty of time for the next pair of elevator platform arms.9. By holding the stop, 2, up and holding down the stops, 1 and 3,during the passage of the roller, 16, along the straight end portion ofthe lever, 17, time is afforded for a second tray to arrive at the stop,2, if there was not one already waiting at stop, 1, when the latter wasepressed. Under these circumstances, however, the second tray may arriveso late that the stop, 1. will begin to rise even while the tray ispassing over it, as indicated in Fig. 10, at Z.

If the tray, Z, remains frictionally engaged with the stop, 1, it willnot advance farther until the stops are reversed and the stop, 1, iswithdrawn below the runway, X, when it will travel forward in properengagement with the stop, 2. However, if the tray, Z, does not remain onthe stop, 1, but is dragged off. it can travel forward over thedepressed stop, 2, into engagement with stop, 3, in the interval betweenreversal of the stops.

After the rollers, 16, have traversed the straight portion, 30, of thelever, 17 the return movement of the parts is effected by springs, 31,and after such return the parts will remain at this position for aconsiderable interval until the arrival of the next elevator platform inposition to engage the lever. 17. The rangev of movement of the stopsmay be rendered adjustable by providing on the links. 20, the adjustablestop screws. 32, which coiiperate with fixed stops, 33. on the elevatorframe work. Each of the fittings, 23, in which the stop arms are carriedon the rock shaft, 24, is adjustable both angularly and longitudinallythereon, being retained in adjusted position by set screws. 34. Thus toaccommotate the feeding device to trays'or packages of diflz'erent size,it is merely necessary to readjust the stops, 1, 2 and 3, longitudinallyupon their shafts, 24, so as to be spaced apart by a definite distancesubstantially equal to the length of the packages to be handled.

Fig. 9 shows a modified form of stop device associated with threeconveyer belts, 35, instead of two. The stops consist'of pairs ofupright posts, 2 and 3, respectively carried in horizontal bars, 36 and37, suspended below the track or runway from rocker arms, 38, on theshaft, 24. Limited cases than the one-point stops shown in 1% claim:

1. In combination with a track or, run way, the means for regulating thetravel of packages thereon comprising a plurality of stops distributedlongitudinally on the runway, each mounted for movement into and out ofthe path of said packages, with connections for causing such movement ofthe stops in timed relation to each other, said stops being individuallyadjustable longitudinally of the runway.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, one of said stops beingcarried on a rock shaft extending longitudinally of the runway andconstituting means for moving the stop, the latter being slidablymounted on .said shaft for adjustment therealong and provided withsecuring means for holding it in adjusted position.

3. In combination with a track or runway,

means for regulating'the travel of packages thereon, comprising aplurality of stops dis- ,tributed longitudinally of the runway, one

of said stops being carried on a rock'shaft disposed longitudinally ofthe runway, means for rocking the shaft through a limit: ed angle, saidstop being carried by a sleeve on the shaft from which it extendsradially for protrusion into the path of packages at one limit of therock shaft movement, said sleeve being angularly adjustable on theshaft. for varying the amount of such protrusion of the stop.

4;. In the combination defined in. claim 3, said rock shaft beingpositioned below the path of travel of the packages, and the stopcomprising an arm bent at right angles,'having one 'ortion extendingfrom the sleeve on the sha under the runway, and the other portion bentupwardly therefrom to project in the path of the packages, the angularmovement of the shaft being sufficient to withdraw said upstandingportion of the stop arm from said path.

' 5. In combination with a track or runway, means for regulating thetravel of packages thereon, comprising a series of three stopsdistributed longitudinally of the runway. the middle stop of the seriesbeing carried by a rock shaft mounted at one side of the runway with thestop extending radially for projection into the path of packages and theother two stops being carried by a second rock shaft mounted at theother side of the runway, said stops projecting into the path ofpackages, and means for alternately rocki-ng the two shafts to withdrawtheir associated stops from said path.

6. In combination with a track or runway and load-carrying traystraveling thereon, formed at their ends with exteriorly beaded marginalflanges adapted to abut each other at the beads to form spaces betweenadjacent trays on the runway, stop devices mounted for movement into andout of the path of travel of said trays dimensioned for insertion insaidspaces.

7. In combination with a track or runway and load-carrying traystraveling thereon, formed with upwardly-flaring marginal flanges adaptedto abut and form spaces between the lower portions of the flanges at theadjacent ends of abutting trays, stop devices mounted for movement intoand out of said spaces for controlling the travel of. said trays on therunway.

8. In combination with a track or runway and load-carrying receptaclesadapted for travel thereon, one end of each receptacle having a portionwhich extends beyond ,the remainder of the end surface for abuttingengagement with the adjacent end of the nextreceptacle on the runway,thus forming a space between certain portions of the end surfaces ofsuch abutting receptacles, means for regulating the travel of saidreceptacles on the runway having a series of three stops distributed-lon itudlnally of the runway, each mounted or movement into and out ofthe path of travel of said receptacles thereon, dimensioned forinsertion in the said spaces between the surfaces of abuttingreceptacles, and means for. moving said stops relatively so timed thatat a time when the middle stop of the series stands in the path oftravel, the other two stops are clear of said path, and-vice versa.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set to hand at Chicago, Illinois,this 4th day of arch, 1919.

SAMUEL OLSON.

